After the Fires That We Walked Through
by NeverWonder
Summary: The future is wide open for Finn and Rachel as they move forward together in their lives; New York is their city. Set in the NYPD!Finn verse. M for later chapters
1. Rookies

**A/N:** This is the first chapter of Edge of the Moment, a future Finchel story set in New York. I am calling this the NYPD!Finn verse because Finn's chosen career path takes him into law enforcement. This is a vignette series type fic, so while the chapters take place in the same universe they will jump around in time. (Unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine)

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><p>The clock blinked 12:02 AM, and the petite brunette rolled in bed, unable to sleep; she ran her hand over the empty bed, instantly missing the man who usually filled it, and she let out a sigh. The California King sized bed had never felt so empty before tonight, and she wondered how many nights would be like this. Sometimes she missed the days when she, Kurt, Blaine, and Finn lived in the dinky apartment with two bedrooms, a single bathroom, and barely working heat and air, if only because it meant that she wouldn't be alone while Finn was out on his first night patrol with his training officer. She'd promised herself that she would be brave, that she wouldn't worry too much, and yet she couldn't sleep. Instinctively she reached for the phone, dialing Kurt's number from memory.<p>

"Rachel, when I told you that you could call me anytime I didn't mean that you should take that literally. If I have dark circles in the morning, I will come and kill you personally, and no I do not care that your boyfriend, my brother, is one of the newest members of the NYPD." She could hear the exhaustion in her best friend's voice, and a wave of guilt struck her.

"But he's out there, right now." She whispered. "I'm here in the empty apartment, and it's a great deal lonelier than I imagined it would be."

"Wasn't that the point of you getting the Tiny Terror?" Rachel glanced down at the tiny Papillion curled up at the foot of the bed, smiling gently.

"Cosette is not a terror, Kurt. I love her dearly, but she is not Finn." She could practically hear Kurt's eyes rolling at her comment. "It is not her fault she sheds, and I warned you about leaving scarves around our apartment while she was in the chewing stage."

"It was fifty dollar scarf, Rachel, and it was the last one in the store. I will never find a replacement."

"I wish you were here or I was there."

"No you don't. Blaine is writing a memo, and despite what I previously thought, it turns out that this memo is already ten pages long and still growing. He's in a permanent mood." Kurt sighed on the other end of the phone. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go back to sleep; I have an article due in the morning and a photo shoot to arrange."

"Kurt, please…"

"Rachel, I love you, but if you don't let me get some sleep I swear you will be the subject of my next article. And all of New York and the world will know how Rachel Berry, of the Off-Broadway smash hit Chicago, used to be the worst dresser in all of Ohio until I got my hands on her wardrobe; I will include the cat suit fiasco." Rachel stuttered a protest. "And besides, you are going to have to learn to handle the nights alone eventually. This won't be his last night patrol."

"I know, but I just wasn't as ready for this as I thought. I mean, I've spent nights alone before, like for the six months he was at the academy and only came home for the weekends. But this is different. It's actually _dangerous_, what he's doing."

"Calm down, Rachel. Don't start that now." Kurt's voice was almost soothing. "You need to relax, take a deep breath, and go to sleep. Finn will be home when you wake up, and everything will be fine."

Five minutes later, Rachel was sitting up in bed, Cosette in her lap, still unable to sleep; she'd been warned that it would be an adjustment, but she wasn't sure any warning prepared her for the first night alone. Rebecca, who was married to Finn's training officer Mike, had been pregnant when Mike graduated from the Academy, and she'd been a week past her due date when Mike went out on his first night patrol; after hearing that story, Rachel was sure that if Rebecca could handle it so could she. Perhaps she was wrong. Finally resigning herself to the inability to sleep, she slid from the bed, gently scooped up Cosette, and headed out of the bedroom. Once back on the floor, the puppy darted around her feet, following her from room to room as she picked up odds and ends around the apartment, anything to keep her fidgeting hands busy.

She paused by the three foot tall basking cage Finn had built, situated in the corner of their living room, her eyes falling on the rather large sleeping lizard. He looked like a small dinosaur, which was precisely what Finn had found so fascinating about him. Cosette gave a soft bark, and Chad opened his eyes momentarily; he was Finn's iguana, not hers, and when he, Blaine, and Noah brought the 'rescued' creature into the apartment in a rather large box it had taken her some time to welcome him as a part of her small family, especially when she learned how difficult it might be to tame him. Now, however, they talked to him as if he could speak back.

"He won't be home for hours." She murmured, offering him a strawberry through the cage. "I miss him. Do you miss him?"

Chad simply took the offered fruit, blinked a few times, and gave her a look that clearly meant he thought she was being 'crazy human woman' again. The clock on the wall in the kitchen read 1:30 AM by the time she'd picked up all the scattered puppy toys, the shredded newspaper Cosette had attacked while Finn was cleaning Chad's cage earlier in the day, and the popcorn that had been thrown that afternoon while they watched some horror movie before she left for her rehearsal. Her cell phone rang, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. But as she returned to the bedroom, her eyes narrowed. Who had "Don't Cha" as their ringtone? Picking up the phone her eyes widened, the name Santana Lopez flashing across the screen above a familiar picture of the girl who'd become one of her better female friends during their senior year.

"San, why are you calling me at 1:30 in the morning? Is something wrong?"

"I was going to leave a message. The question is why is the Hobbit still awake that early in the morning, and where is Frankenman?"

"Santana!"

"Hobbit is a term of endearment, Rach." Santana's laughter filled her ears, and she smiled.

"I'm too tired to argue, San, and Finn's on his first night patrol, so I can't sleep. What has you up so late?"

"Britt and I are leaving Chicago, and my father is pissed." There was a pause, and Rachel moved back to the living room. "I've decided that I don't want to go to med school, which was why he was paying for our apartment and shit. Britt wants to dance, like for real, and maybe even teach dance, and I don't know what I want to do but it's not med school. "

"Well, what's that going to mean for you, San. Where are you going to go?" Rachel tossed herself on the couch, stifling a yawn.

"Britt mentioned it actually, coming to New York. There's plenty of chances for her to dance, and you know I'd follow her wherever she wants to go."

"That's true." She heard Santana sigh. "Hey, San, don't worry. You get to New York, and things will turn around."

"I'm not scared, Rach." Rachel rolled her eyes at the lie. "It's just my dad will probably never speak to me again, he kind of blames shit on Britt for no reason, and I don't want Britt to think that anything's her fault."

"Your dad will come around eventually, San. And Brittany will be fine." She desperately wanted to hug the other woman, even if Santana would probably swear and call her crazy in Spanish. "Just get here because I need some female companionship of the non-musical theater variety. It's not that I don't love my cast mates, but sometimes all they care about is who screwed who over for a part."

"Awww, my Hobbit misses me?" Santana laughed, and Rachel laughed along with her. "Don't tell anyone, but I miss you too."

"I won't. Let me know when you are headed up this way." There was a pause. "And no, not so you can get me drunk and convince me to get something pierced or tattooed."

The conversation ended ten minutes later with the promise of karaoke night when Santana arrived in New York, and Rachel wasn't sure it would end well. Ever since the unlikely, and occasionally unholy (as Kurt liked to put it) friendship of Rachel Berry and Santana Lopez had formed, trouble tended to follow them. She was definitely excited about having Santana in New York. Kurt was her best friend, but somehow Santana was like her wild side personified. Both Finn and Kurt admitted that their friendship was slightly frightening at times.

"Come on, Cosette, we're going to bed now, and hopefully when we wake up Finn will be home." She patted her thigh, and Cosette followed her to the bedroom, curling up near Finn's pillow while Rachel snuggled closer to the pillow and breathed in the smell of her boyfriend's shampoo.

Three hours later, Finn checked his phone, a crooked smile flickering across his lips as Mike pulled the patrol car in front of the apartment building. Rachel had sent at least six text messages saying she loved him and telling him to be safe, and Mike gave him a playful shove as he glanced over at the phone. He and Mike had discussed the situation before, and it was always with a hint of worry in Finn's voice. He hated the idea of leaving Rachel alone all night in their Manhattan apartment, especially since they had spent almost every night together since they moved to New York almost five years ago.

"So little lady is a worrier?" Finn nodded. "Becca used to go crazy, and she's a nervous baker or something because I would come home at three AM to find eight dozen cookies and three pies."

"Yeah, Rach does that too. I wouldn't be surprised if there are plates of cookies in the shape of cars with black and white icing to make them accurate." Mike gave him a slap on the back.

"Don't worry kid, eventually it gets better. She'll get used to it, and you won't have too many night patrols if you're lucky." Finn honestly hoped so; he missed dinner with Rachel and curling up in bed with her in his arms. "Give it time, Hudson. She's a rookie too."

"Thanks Mike." Finn stepped out of the car, and he waved as he watched the car drive away; for a first night patrol it wasn't so scary.

He silently unlocked the door to their apartment, hoping that he wouldn't wake her, and he crept into the bedroom; a small smile played across his face as his eyes found Rachel, curled up with her arms around his pillow. She looked too peaceful to disturb, and so he tried to undress as silently as possible. But as he crawled into bed, Rachel shifted, opening her eyes with a sleepy smile, and he leaned over to kiss her forehead. She sat up slightly, and he realized that she had worn one of his t-shirts to bed; there was something undeniably sexy about Rachel in his shirts, but they were both too tired to think about sex.

"Hi, baby." Rachel's sleepy voice broke the silence.

"Hey Rach." He gently kissed her lips. "Go back to sleep, babe. It's almost five in the morning."

"I couldn't sleep, Finny. I missed you." She wrapped her arms around him, sighing softly. "Was it a good night?"

"Mike and I didn't see much trouble, just a couple of kids spray painting a store wall. Nothing exciting, Rach." He carefully untangled himself from her arms, falling back on the pillows. "I'm glad to be home though."

"Is it always going to be like this?" Rachel's question hung in the air as she curled up next to him, her head resting on his chest. "The night seems longer when you aren't home. And I worry about you."

"Mike says it gets easier, and he and Rebecca have been doing this a long time. We're rookies, baby; you and I will just have to learn as we go." He gently stroked her hair. "But we'll get better at it."

"I love you." Rachel's words were barely audible, and sleep began to overtake her.

"I love you too, Rach." He let the gentle movement of Rachel's fingertips stroking across his bare chest and soft sound of her slow breathing lull him to sleep.


	2. Body Heat

**A/N:** And here be the first smut chapter of the story. Enjoy Finn and Rachel in their tiny apartment without AC. (Unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine)

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><p>"Finn!" A tired voice echoed across the tiny apartment. "Why is it so hot in this apartment?"<p>

It was late April, and the small New York apartment felt as though there was a fire in every room. Rachel couldn't wait until the day came when they could finally afford a better place to live. It wasn't that she hadn't enjoyed living with Kurt, Blaine, and Finn the past three years, but the two couples were both actively searching for suitable apartments to live separately. With the end of their junior years at their various colleges rapidly approaching the real world was looming. Kurt already had three excellent offers for internships at various magazines, and Blaine was trying to determine which law school gave him the best opportunities to study family law or civil rights; Rachel planned to begin auditioning for summer productions as soon as humanly possible, while Finn had yet to tell anyone what he was going to do with his degree in Criminal Justice from CUNY. But today they still lived in their little apartment where the air conditioning went out at the most inopportune times, and apparently this was one of those times.

"I'm calling Mr. Franks now, Rach."

Ten minutes later, Finn was slamming the phone in the kitchen back onto its cradle, releasing a loud sigh. Once again their landlord had informed him that he wasn't sure when he'd be able to get the AC fixed again, and the man didn't seem too terribly concerned with the fact that it was sweltering in their apartment. How was he supposed to write a paper on the Jazz Era when he could barely breathe? Sinking back into his chair, he turned his attention to the laptop in front of him and the neatly typed notes Rachel had helped him with earlier in the week. Focusing on his paper was becoming more and more difficult, especially with the heat, and he yanked his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. Kurt was gone for the day with Blaine; otherwise the black CUNY t-shirt lying in the floor would have been cause for alarm, since Kurt was a bit of a neat freak.

"What did he say, Finn?" Rachel tried not to whine about heat. "Wait, let me guess. He doesn't know why the AC went out or when he can get it fixed."

"Sorry, baby. If I could fix it myself I would." He smiled weakly as she pressed a kiss to his bare shoulder.

"How's the paper coming? Making progress?" She kissed the back of his neck softly.

"It's too damned hot… sorry, baby." He clicked save and pushed his notes aside.

"Let me get you something to drink, Finn, something nice and cold." She laughed, drawing a line with her fingers down his back.

As Rachel made her way into the small kitchen, Finn found himself staring. In an attempt to beat the heat, she'd found a pair of ridiculously short black shorts and a tiny pink tank top; her hair was swept up into this messy twist, secured with a clip, and her neck was just beginning for him to attack it with his lips. While Rachel argued time and time again that he was wrong, Finn found her at her most attractive when she was relaxed and comfortable. He could hear the ice clinking in the glasses, followed quickly by the sound of whatever it was that she was pouring for them to drink. She turned, a small smile on her lips, and he carefully took the glass of lemonade she'd poured. Holding back a groan of satisfaction as he took a long drink, Finn let the cool sensation flood him as he swallowed. Rachel held her own glass carefully, leaning against Finn's shoulder lightly, and he smiled over at her.

"I've got about two thirds of this stupid paper written, and I'm pretty sure none of it makes sense." He pulled her into his lap, narrowly avoiding spilling her drink. "I think this heat is melting my brain."

"Poor Finny, well maybe this lemonade will cool you off some." She laughed, gently kissing his forehead. "I had to give up on my Shakespeare paper, and I've already turned the window units on in both bedrooms."

"It's not even May yet, Rach; why is it so hot already?" Placing Rachel's glass on the table, Finn pulled her to him, peppering her neck with kisses.

"Finn Hudson, it's like a sauna in this apartment, and you are trying to get me all hot and bothered." She whimpered softly, delivering a playful slap to his bare chest before sliding out of his lap. "I'm going to take my glass and my strawberries to our room, and I'm going to finish my paper. It's much cooler in there."

She kissed his lips briefly, tasting the slight tang of lemon on them, and then she moved to the kitchen; a few minutes later, Finn watched his girlfriend vanish into their bedroom, shutting the door behind her. Turning his attention back to the notes and his laptop he tried once more to focus on paper; Rachel had promised that she would help him edit it, but he was to do all the work on the actual paper himself. He skimmed his notes, typing another two paragraphs on the effects of jazz on American culture, and let out a soft sigh; this was going to be a long weekend. He briefly considered shoving the laptop aside and going back to the bedroom, but Rachel seemed more than a little panicked about the paper she had been working on for the past three weeks. Thirty minutes later, however, he gave up on his work, partially because the heat in the apartment was causing the laptop to feel like it was overheating. Clicking save, he shut down the laptop and slid it way from him; he made his way into the kitchen, putting his glass in the sink, and headed to the bedroom.

As he opened the door, the blast of cool air from the window unit struck his overheated skin, and he let out a groan of relief. Rachel looked up from her copy of _Hamlet_, smiling gently, and she patted the bed before running her fingers through her hair. He quickly joined her on the bed, and as she set aside her play he couldn't resist capturing her lips in a quick kiss. She responded instantly, returning his kiss and letting her fingers gently lace through his hair. When she pulled back, a grin flickered across her lips, and he lightly traced her collarbone.

"You were right; it's much cooler in here. I should've brought my laptop back here to work."

"Finn Hudson, you and I both know that absolutely no work would get done with us in the same room, especially when you are in the sort of mood you are currently in." Rachel couldn't suppress a small giggle.

"You should be proud of me. I've written nine pages on the Jazz era so far, and not all of it is B.S. filler." He flashed a sideways smirk. "Have you finished yours?"

"Twenty pages on Shakespeare's women so far; I'm filling out certain points, you know, to flesh it out." Finn's jaw dropped, and Rachel took the opportunity to press a kiss to his neck. "What?"

"Nothing, Rach, just shocked is all. How long does this paper have to be?" He muttered the question, steeling himself as she kissed the base of his throat.

"No shorter than twenty pages, no longer than thirty; the professor decided to give us a final paper instead of an actual exam." She smiled against his still heated skin.

"Wow!"

"But I've been writing it for hours, baby, and I don't want to think about Ophelia drowning or the witches anymore." She was almost whining, and he felt the same way about his own ten page paper; absently he toyed with a loose curl that hung in front of her face, and she smiled up at him.

"Well baby, why don't we forget about the papers for a while?" He winked, and she let out a small giggle. "I have some ideas for what we could do instead."

Rachel grinned, leaning forward to catch his lips in a kiss, her fingers tracing down his bare chest; Finn groaned softly, scooping her into his arms and placing her in his lap, and she quickly wrapped her legs around his waist slightly. She could feel the heat radiating from his skin, and she couldn't resist kissing down his jaw and along his neck, making him let out a small moan. His hands traveled down her back, and his eyes widened when he felt the obvious lack of a bra clasp. Apparently she'd decided that it was too hot to bother with a bra since Blaine and Kurt were going to be gone all day anyway. One hand slid beneath her tank top to trace along her spine, and she shivered in his arms, pressing closer. Her hips rocked into his, and he released a soft moan against her lips as she kissed him, pulling his bottom lip into her mouth and tugging it gently with her teeth. Her skin was warm beneath his fingertips, and he couldn't resist pulling his lips from hers to kiss the length of her neck and nip at her collarbone; he reveled in the familiar taste of her skin and the way she reacted to his actions.

"I thought you said it was too hot." He murmured against her skin as her head fell back with a soft sigh. "I'll take that as a sign you've changed your mind."

She rocked her hips again in response, and he hooked his hands in the hem of her tank top, tugging it upwards; Rachel lifted her arms, goose bumps rising on her heated skin as the cool air from the window unit struck it, and he tossed the garment aside. As always, he found himself staring at her, as if he was seeing her like this for the first time, and a soft pink blush colored her skin; shifting his weight he gently lifted her from his lap and laid her back on the bed, hovering over her with a smile. She let her eyes meet his for a moment before falling closed as his fingers traced down her bare skin; a tiny shiver ran through her as she felt his warm breath against her ear followed by a whispered I love you and his lips captured her earlobe for a moment. Her hands slid through his hair for a moment, tugging slightly, and she felt him grin as his tongue brushed her collarbone. Rolling his hips into her, Finn let his lips travel lower, over her chest, until he captured a nipple, and Rachel let out a low moan.

Her heart pounded in her chest, and she could feel her arousal building; she whimpered softly, arching to him as her fingers tightened in his hair. His thumb brushed her other nipple, flicking it gently before moving in slow circles while he lavished the nipple in his mouth with attention from his tongue; after a moment he switched, working her expertly until she was writhing gently on the bed beneath him. She reveled in the way Finn knew her and knew her body so well. Releasing his hair, Rachel rocked her hips into his, whimpering at the feel of his arousal, and the moan that vibrated from his lips against her skin made her body quiver.

"Finn…" She gasped out his name, and he forced himself to pull away for a moment. "Finn, please."

"Please what, Rach? What do you want?" A teasing smirk flickered across his lips as he gently tugged down her shorts and tossed them to the side, leaving her in nothing but a pair dark red panties.

"You know what." She whimpered, but it seemed that Finn was in a teasing mood; he dragged a single finger over the damp fabric, the sensation causing Rachel to whimper for more contact.

"Tell me, baby, tell me what you want." Finn whispered hotly into her ear, making her shiver. "Just tell me."

"Touch me, Finn…" Her hips bucked into his hand as he cupped her heated core.

"Like this?" His fingers found her clit through the moist fabric, and he moved in slow circles, reveling in her moans.

"M-more…" She stuttered, feeling the sudden throbbing between her thighs grow more intense.

Swooping in for a searing kiss to her lips, he hooked the waistband of her panties, tugging them off her hips and down her legs; her lips parted in a moan, and his tongue plunged into her mouth as he let two long fingers slide into her heat, causing them both to moan. He could feel her trembling against him as he let his fingers move in slow steady thrusts. She bucked her hips into his hand, letting out a soft keening moan, and his thumb found her swollen bundle of nerves again. Curling his fingers slightly, he twisted his hand, his thrusts deeper and swifter.

"Finn…" She gasped out his name, her hands hooking into the waistband of his shorts.

Her voice trailed off, and he found himself lifting his body so that she could tug his shorts off his body; her slender fingers traced the outline of his erection through his boxer briefs, and his memory flashes back to the first time she saw him in his underwear. He'd been so embarrassed by the fact he wore 'glorified tighty-whities', but she'd assured him that she thought they were sexy, commenting on the way she could _see everything_. He let out a groan, and his hips bucked into her hand; his eyes met hers, loving the victorious smile on Rachel's face as she rolled them over for a moment. Her lips found their way to the juncture of his neck and shoulder, and she nipped gently as her hand slipped into his boxer briefs, drawing out a rumbling moan from Finn; her fingers traced his length before gently wrapping around him, and she kissed lower, her lips traveling over his collarbone as she stroked him slowly. His hands gripped the sheets beneath him for a moment.

"Baby, Rachel if you… oh god…" A deep moan ripped from his throat as she gathered moisture from his tip with her thumb, and her strokes became longer and firmer; he caught her wrist, and she flashed a victorious smirk.

He lifted his hips, releasing her wrist so that he could toss the last remaining article of clothing aside, and he watched as she leaned across him to fumble in the drawer of the nightstand. Hovering above him, Rachel held up a foil packet before quickly tearing it open; Finn felt the familiar shudder of pleasure run through his body as her small hands rolled the condom onto his length, and once she was done, he shifted his weight without warning, pressing her into the bed beneath him. Her hips lifted to meet his, and she released a satisfied moan as he surged forward, filling her.

"I love you." She whispered the words as her lips crashed into his.

Each thrust was slow and deep, and he let his free hand drop between them, a finger barely touching her clit. Her hips jerked up, and he smiled victoriously, teasing it again and again in synch with his thrusts until she was gasping and crying out with each movement. Her lips brushed his cheek, his eyes falling closed for a moment, and she let a series of warm kisses travel along his jaw until they reached his ear.

"Finn…" His name came as a whisper in his ear, his eyes flying open as he felt her teeth tug his earlobe. "Harder, please."

His thrusts became sharper and harder, spurred on by her moans. Her hips rolled up to meet his, and she let her hands trail down his back; her fingers traced his spine, and she reveled in the way his muscles tensed and tightened beneath her fingertips. He pulled his hips back slowly, pulling out as far as he could before surging forward again, reveling in the way she moaned his name so loudly he was sure anyone passing in the hall could hear it. Repeating the action again and again, he tensed when her nails dragged over his back, leaving scratch marks that would probably be visible for a few days, marking him as hers. Rachel's moans sang out, and she babbled nonsense about god and Finn and how good he felt inside her. He couldn't contain the low moans that flowed from his lips when her hands suddenly dropped to his hips, and then lower, cupping his ass and pulling him into her.

He knew neither of them was going to last much longer, and he let his hand slip between them. His fingers worked her clit firmly until she was moaning out his name and clinging to him, every part her small warm naked body pressing to him. He felt her tightening around him, her smaller frame shuddering, and moments after she arched from the bed and cried out with climax, he reached his own. Supporting his weight with his arms, he tried not to collapse on top of her, but when she reached up to touch his cheek as her lips brushed his, he found himself falling gently against her; she smiled softly up at him, reveling in the closeness. After a few moments he made himself leave the bed, only to slip into the bathroom to quickly clean up, and when he returned to lie beside her, she traced idle patterns on his bare chest. The cool air raised goose bumps on their skin, and Rachel let out contented sigh.

"Baby, can we just stay here for the rest of the day?" She whispered with a sly grin. "It's cooler in here."

"Not if you keep getting me hot." He chuckled, tickling her side until she squirmed and giggled.


	3. Baby Dinosaur?

**A/N:** I really wanted to keep Brittany's fabulous child-like heart without making her actually seem stupid, so I hope that turned out well. (Unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine)

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><p>She was absolutely thrilled with their home; how many young couples just starting out in New York could afford such nice accommodations? They'd moved into the loft six months prior, just before the start of their senior years. She and Finn had already been hard at work furnishing their new loft and decorate it, turning it from a simple loft apartment into a home. The mantle above the fireplace held several photos of their friends and family in gleaming silver frames, surrounding a single photo in a simple black frame decorated with gold stars, and she smiled each time she passed it; it didn't matter that the photo wasn't professionally taken or that only she and Finn found the moment it captured to be important. In fact, only she and Finn classified that moment as something positive; it was a photo snapped from the audience just as they broke what the New Directions called 'the losing kiss'. Rachel had discovered its existence midway through their senior year, and it immediately went into a frame. It remained her favorite photo because it was the moment when she realized that Finn had become an integral part of her dreams.<p>

It was eight thirty in the evening, and she could hear Santana arguing with Kurt in the dining room about the way she was setting the table; a small smile crept across her face. Brittany and Santana had arrived in the city the day before, and they were all gathering to celebrate New Year's Eve together for the first time since they graduated from high school. Mike and Tina had politely declined since they both had relatives coming in to celebrate their engagement, and Mercedes was in Italy with the designer she had been interning with for the past three months. Sam and Artie were at a party, attempting to pitch a video game design company to some investors. Rachel had been disappointed, but it couldn't be helped.

The smell of lasagna filled the kitchen, and she slid two large pans from the oven, one after another, and placed them on the stove; one was a traditional dish, even though cooking meat often turned her stomach, and the other was a vegetarian version. Glancing up at the clock, she wondered where Finn and Noah were and why they hadn't returned with the wine they were sent to retrieve. As she slid garlic bread into the oven to toast, Brittany and Blaine wandered into the kitchen, both looking to escape the battle taking place in the dining room.

"Miss Diva, it smells delicious in here." Blaine pulled her into a quick hug. "When are we going to get to eat?"

"Yeah Rachie! I'm starving!" Brittany was bouncing on the balls of her feet, and Rachel was glad to see that some things never seemed to change.

"When Finn and Noah come back, only I think they went to find a vineyard in France to pick up the wine." A soft chuckle left her lips as Brittany considered the idea. "You know I'm only joking right, Britt? The boys are somewhere in the city."

"I know, Rachie. France is far away." Brittany giggled. "I wonder what's taking them so long though."

It was snowing heavily when Finn and Puck came out of the wine store Rachel had specifically instructed them to visit, and Puck groaned loudly as he held the soft brown colored bag with ribbon handles; it contained three bottles of the wine Kurt had insisted was perfect for their dinner that night, and it was girly as hell. Finn had promised him that they would stop at a liquor store for beer after they picked up the wine, and now, because they had gotten stuck in traffic due to the holiday and it was damn near nine o'clock, he'd be lucky if Finn kept his promise. It wasn't that he didn't love spending time with his best friend, but the man was whipped as hell; if Berry said jump, Finn asked how high. But then again, if he had access to Berry's smoking little body, he'd probably do as he was told too.

"Dude, I could get around this place so much faster if I had my bike; any luck convincing Berry to let you have one?" He gave Finn a nudge, chuckling when he shook his head. "Figures; she probably gave you a speech about how dangerous they were and batted those eyelashes at you and you crumbled."

"Whatever man, we better hurry if you want something other than that wine you've got in your hand. The store's just around the corner, and I'm starving. Rachel made real lasagna for tonight, and I'm pretty sure there is a big ass chocolate cake hidden somewhere in the kitchen."

He'd missed hanging out with Puck, even though he loved living in New York; having his best friend live across the country sucked, and between school and preparing to enter the police academy after graduation, he rarely had time to call his family, much less Puck. And it wasn't like Puck could come visit them very often. So they learned to make the most of visits, and Rachel made a point of scheduling things around visits so that they were rarely busy if Puck was in the city. Mostly they played Xbox Live as a way of keeping in touch, and Rachel and Kurt had reluctantly given up the peace and quiet to permit Call of Duty marathons to take over their living room while they were sharing an apartment. They walked through the snow, avoiding the crowds that were filling the sidewalks, and Finn tugged his black leather jacket, a Christmas present from Rachel, tighter around his torso and tucking his hands into his pockets to ward off the cold. A few minutes later, they entered the small liquor store, both laughing at the idea of buying Rachel something that tasted like pink.

By the time they exited the store, Finn had already gotten three messages from Rachel, two asking where they were, and one picture of a very large pan of lasagna with _meat _sitting next to a giant chocolate cake, with neatly piped chocolate ribbons and trimmed in huge strawberries. It was obvious that Rachel had felt the need to go all out with their friends coming to celebrate the New Year. His stomach rumbled in protest against its emptiness, and he was tempted to physically drag Puck down the street so they could hail a cab and get back to the loft. It was Puck who spotted the box near the drain first, and he almost walked right by it; at least he would have had it not moved. He grabbed Finn and yanked him over to it, and in typical Puckerman fashion he insisted Finn open it first in case whatever it was happened to be dangerous; some things would always be the same, and for that Finn was grateful, even if it meant that Puck would always be a jerk.

"Dude, what is that?" Finn stared down at the creature inside the box, huddled in the corner of the box in an attempt to stay warm.

"It's some kind of lizard; who the hell would throw out a lizard in the freezing cold?" Puck recognized the anger in Finn's tone. "What kind of asshole does this?"

"I know what you're thinking, Stretch, and Berry'll never go for it." But Finn was already scooping up the box and shoving it into Puck's arms. "Your little crazy chick is never going to let you keep a big ass lizard in her brand new loft."

"I can't just leave it out here to die. Rach'll understand; she loves animals." Puck quickened his step to keep up with Finn's much longer strides. "We need to find something to keep him warm until we can get him to the loft."

They managed to smuggle the iguana into a drug store, and Finn bought two fleece blankets to keep it warm; Puck kept telling him that he better not get attached to it, but Finn had already decided that he looked like a Chad and proceeded to tell him that Rachel would learn to love him. They carefully wrapped the iguana in the blankets, and, as they settled into a cab at last, Finn sent Rachel a message telling her that he was bringing home a surprise.

"She's going to kill you, dude." Puck shook his head. "She'll never let you keep it, and she'll be pissed that she sent you out for wine and you brought back a big ass lizard."

"Nah, man, I'll just have to sweet talk her into it. He's hurt, and someone's got to take care of him." Puck rolled his eyes. "Rach will understand."

The table was set, and Rachel was beginning to get irritated. She'd sent Noah and Finn to do a simple task, and they still hadn't returned. She tried not to pace around the kitchen and instead settled on the arm of the couch next to Blaine while they watched reruns of America's Next Top Model and mocked the contestants. When the door finally swung open, she leveled her gaze on Finn and Puck, her eyes narrowed dangerously, and Puck took two steps back to hide behind Finn, who held the box containing Chad protectively. Rachel slid from her place on the couch and stalked into the kitchen.

"Hey Tiny! We got your wine." Puck held up the bag, and she took it carefully. "S'all good."

"No, Noah, it is not all good." She hissed. "I sent you to get three bottles of wine, a task that should've taken an hour, and here it is, two and a half hours later, and dinner is probably cold."

'S'totally not my fault, Short Stuff. Stretch found this box in the snow and…" But Rachel cut him off, turning her attention to Finn.

"Well, Finn, what was so special about this box?" Her hands were planted on her hips and, if she were in pissed off Rachel mode, Finn would've scooped her up and kissed her senseless; as it stood, however, he was better off just being honest.

"Well, y'see Rach, we were on our way back when Puck spotted this box in the snow, and we would have just left it but it was _moving_." Rachel's eyes widened at his statement, and he placed the box in front of her. "I opened it up 'cause Puck was too chicken, and we found this guy."

He slowly opened the box, and she let out a small scream, her hand flying over her mouth; they'd found a big lizard and brought it back to the loft? This was the surprise Finn mentioned? And why was it wrapped in blankets. Her scream had interrupted the snarky marathon in the living room, and everyone had gathered around to see what the fuss was about. Blaine ignored the withering stare from Kurt when he whispered that he wanted an iguana, and Santana simply shook her head in disbelief because only Frankenman and the Sex Shark would go out for booze and come back with a lizard.

"Where'd you find a baby dinosaur?" Brittany giggled.

"It's just an iguana, BrittBritt, but it is kind of cool." Santana couldn't help but smile. "That is a good question, though. Why on earth would you two bring home an iguana?"

"I couldn't just leave him there in the snow." Finn started quickly before Rachel could echo Santana's question. "Some jerk must've dumped him out there and left him to die; I couldn't leave him to freeze, Rach. I just couldn't."

"Finn," her gaze softened, and he offered her a crooked smile. "Call Dr. Jameson next door and see if she's home; tell her we need some help."

Twenty minutes later, Dr. Emily Jameson had arrived, and, in exchange for a generous portion of vegetarian lasagna, she was examining Chad the Iguana while Finn paced around nervously; Rachel attempted to get him to eat something, but his focus was on the veterinarian and the iguana. It seemed no one was interested in food, and soon even Rachel was chewing her lip nervously and pacing. By eleven o'clock, Chad the Iguana had been coaxed into nibbling on strawberries left over from Rachel's cake under a heat lamp that had been brought from Dr. Jameson's apartment; apparently Chad was very lucky that Finn and Puck found him when they did, otherwise he would have frozen to death. But thankfully, with some heat, food, and a little patience, Chad would make a full recovery.

"Rach, at the risk of sounding like a ten year old who found a puppy, can we keep him?" Finn whispered in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. "I mean, Puck can't take him and neither can Britt, even though she kind of wants a baby dinosaur."

"I didn't exactly picture our first pet being an iguana you found in the street, but," she paused, pressing back against him. "We can't just abandon him after you rescued him from the snow. I suppose we'll just have to make him part of our little family."

Finn spun her to face him, ignoring the gagging noises from their friends, and kissed her soundly, murmuring a thank you against her lips. Five minutes later they were all sitting around the table eating cold lasagna, and Finn had to be forced away from his laptop to eat so that he would stop looking at websites on iguana care. Rachel even went as far as to hide the notes she'd taken when the vet explained some of the basics they needed to know in order to help Chad recover. Santana had to drag Brittany away from Chad's box, and Rachel dissolved into giggles as she listened to her best friend tried to convince her girlfriend that they should not get a 'baby dinosaur'; Brittany only relented when Santana promised her a puppy, and Finn gave the giggling blond a high-five for her success. All in all, it was pretty good start to a new year, Finn thought to himself as he watched Rachel walk out of the kitchen carrying the cake she'd spent so much time on, and he smiled when he noticed that she stopped by Chad's box to offer their new pet a strawberry.


	4. Like a Vision From the Past

**A/N:** I am one of those people who believe that Rachel was more affected by Shelby coming into her life and then rejecting her than what we have seen so far. This chapter will probably be the only appearance she makes in the fic, but I think it's still important.

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><p>Grocery shopping fell to Rachel and Kurt almost exclusively, primarily because Finn and Blaine seemed to share a love for all things unhealthy, and the two friends established a Sunday morning ritual that began by 10 AM without fail. Finn was never pleased when Rachel left their bed by 8:30 to shower and dress, and even when she made pancakes or surprised him with banana nut muffins he was less than thrilled with the idea of giving up his Sunday mornings with Rachel when he knew that the entire afternoon would be devoted to her homework. He and Blaine were seated at their small kitchen table, coffee cups in hand as they made their own shopping list; they were in charge of purchasing any of the meat they wanted to eat for the week since Rachel refused to go near a meat counter.<p>

Last minute changes were quickly made to the shopping list Rachel had pinned to the message board in their small kitchen, adding things like real milk and sugar, and Kurt pinned a second list to the board for things like fabric softener and dishwasher tablets, which Blaine and Finn would pick up when they went out later. Rachel settled in Finn's lap, nibbling her granola in almond milk, while the boys argued over who was going to call their landlord to fix the leak in the bathroom and the thermostat so that they could actually regulate the temperature in the apartment again. The issue was finally settled when Rachel announced that if everyone would just calm down she would call as soon as she returned from their shopping trip.

By a quarter till ten, Rachel was zipping up her boots and pulling on her faux shearling coat over her sweater and jeans in preparation to head out into the cold with Kurt; she leaned in to kiss Finn, the stubble from his cheek tickling her lips, and she promised him that she would make a stop at his favorite bakery. Finn claimed another quick kiss as he handed her a travel mug, filled with coffee, and Kurt nearly dragged her to the door, insisting that they needed to hurry because it was freezing outside and they all had midterms to worry about. She tucked the grocery list she'd written the night before into her pocket and grabbed her bag, and they were out the door.

"I swear Rachel, Blaine and I are going to be wealthy some day, and I will have our groceries delivered, even if it cost an entire paycheck; this 'go out in the freezing cold and take cabs or walk to get our groceries' bit has gotten terribly old." Kurt adjusted his jacket and scarf, shivering as the wind hit him.

"Oh, come on Kurt, it's not that bad." Rachel playfully nudged him. "We just have a few stops today anyway."

"Your enthusiasm is both enviable and disturbing." He rolled his eyes and linked his arm with hers as they walked.

* * *

><p>"Kurt? Did you see they have…" Her voice faded, and she nearly dropped the box of brown rice pasta she held in her hand.<p>

She thought she was seeing things at first; after all, there was no way she could actually be looking at Shelby Corcoran in her Whole Foods Market, and there was absolutely no way that the little blond girl, with Quinn Fabray's nose and Noah Puckerman's eyes, was actually Beth. It was like some sort of vision from the past, come back to haunt her, and she stood there, almost frozen. So much for outgrowing the old pain of rejection; she couldn't help but remember how it stung when her mother told her that she didn't need her anymore and that she wasn't going to remain in her life. Most people thought she didn't know or think about the fact that her mother had chosen to adopt Quinn's daughter after rejecting her, but it still felt like a reminder that her own mother had preferred having a piece of Quinn over being in her life.

Part of her wanted to speak to her, to ask her if she regretted her decision, but what good would that do her? The possible answers were terrifying. What if she said that didn't regret it at all? What if she said that she was perfectly happy without her? It wasn't as if she actually needed her mother anymore, not technically; she was, after all, a very successful sophomore at NYU, and it was nearly her twentieth birthday. She wasn't a little girl anymore, crying in secret because the other girls in class had mommies to help them with their costumes, and she wasn't the teenage girl who had no mother to turn to for advice anymore. So why did it hurt so much to see her with Beth?

"Rach?" She almost didn't hear Kurt at first, and it wasn't until he stepped in front of her that she finally noticed. "Rachel, is something wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Sort of." She managed to whisper, gesturing toward Shelby, who was walking down the aisle in the opposite direction with Beth bouncing behind her.

"I'd forgotten she was here in the city." Kurt muttered.

"I did too. I guess it's easy to forget someone you don't really know." Rachel turned away, focusing instead on her shopping.

"Hey, Diva, are you sure you're ok?" She felt Kurt's hand squeeze her shoulder.

"I'm fine, Kurt." It was a lie, and Kurt knew it; he didn't push her, though, for fear of making it worse.

The change in Rachel's demeanor was obvious; her chipper mood was gone, and she hated that the mere sight of her mother was causing her to feel this way. Logically, it shouldn't bother her; after all, she had never really known her mother to begin with, and Shelby clearly had no interest in her at all. Wasn't she supposed to outgrow the childish fantasy that her mother would someday come for her? Shouldn't she be passed the idea that her mother the Broadway star would sweep into her life and take her to New York and away from all the people who tormented her? She was living her dream; she was in New York City with Finn, and it was everything she'd hoped for and more. So why did it feel like a stab in the heart to see Shelby holding Beth's hand and leading her away?

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><p>Finn was not in the apartment when they returned, and it was quite obvious that something had gone wrong with the heat; the temperature had dropped substantially, and Rachel let out an exasperated sigh before placing the groceries on the table. Twenty minutes later, she hung up the phone after their landlord promised he would be there 'sometime that afternoon', whatever that meant. Once the groceries were put away, she retreated to the bedroom she shared with Finn and shut the door with a snap. When Finn found her some time later, she was curled up on their bed, one of his hoodies covering her completely, and he was sure she'd been crying.<p>

"Baby?" He instantly rushed to the bed, scooping her into his arms and holding her close. "Rachel, baby, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing. It's just so stupid." She buried her face in his chest, trying not to cry again.

"Rach, what happened? Kurt wouldn't tell me." He felt her shiver, and he swore under his breath; why did it always take so long for their landlord to fix things?

"I saw _her_ today; she was in the Whole Foods Market where Kurt and I shop. I saw her, and she had B-Beth with her." Rachel looked up with eyes glittering with unshed tears. "She looked so happy and normal and satisfied, Finn. I just – She's forgotten all about me."

"It's her loss, Rachel. She's missing out on a wonderful person, and what she did to you was wrong." He pushed a dark curl behind her ear and kissed her forehead. "I know she's your mother, but I think she's an idiot."

"She didn't want me; she met me, and then she walked away. She wanted Beth, Quinn's daughter, instead of me. I know it's stupid, but it _hurts_. It's like my own mother chose Quinn over me."

"That's not true; you know it's not." He swallowed hard; it had been a long time since Quinn had been a part of Rachel's insecurities, or so it seemed. "She wanted a baby; it wasn't about Quinn at all. No one is choosing her over you, Rach."

"I'm supposed to be over this, Finn. I'm supposed to have outgrown it." She felt the tears start to fall. "I'll be twenty in a week; shouldn't I be passed the point where I cry over the fact that my mother is gone? I shouldn't need her anymore, but I feel like I do."

Finn's arms tightened around her, and she closed her eyes; he knew that feeling all too well. There were moments when he desperately wished that his father was still alive, like on graduation day and the day he decided that he was going to New York with Rachel. The fact that his dad would not be there when he married Rachel or when they had their first child killed him. There was a hole in his life that was never quite filled. Was it possible to miss something you never had and someone you never knew? There would always be a dull ache in his heart when he thought about his dad, and Rachel seemed to feel the same ache when her mother entered her thoughts. He supposed it might be worse for Rachel, who had the chance to know her mother dangled in front of her and then yanked away.

"It's not something you get over, baby. I've tried. We just power through it." He kissed the top of her head softly, and she finally looked up at him again.

"Is it always like this? When you think about him, does it always feel like this?" She wiped her eyes and tried to blink away the tears, but they wouldn't stop falling.

"Sometimes," he murmured, kissing her forehead again. "But then I remember that he didn't choose to leave, and I remember that I'm not alone. You just have to keep thinking that it's not your fault, babe. She made a choice, and there's nothing you could've done to change her mind."

"I know that, but, sometimes, I just need a mother. And crossing paths with her, even if she didn't even notice, just reminded me that I'm not going to have my mother at any of the important moments of my life."

"Hey, I know it's not the same, but you know my mom loves you; she's always thought of you as the daughter she always wanted." He chuckled softly at the thought of the way his mother sometimes seemed to love his girlfriend more than she loved him.

She wrapped her arms around him, pressing herself into his chest, and he gently stroked her hair; slowly, the tears began to fade. It became obvious that she was shivering instead of shaking with tears, and Finn reached for a blanket and wrapped it snuggly around her body. Scooping her up in a single smooth motion, he carried her into the living room and carefully placed her on the couch before producing Rachel's copy of _Funny Girl_ and popping it into the DVD player. She watched him go into the kitchen, and a small smile flickered across her face when he returned ten minutes later with two cups of hot chocolate made with the soy milk she'd brought home and topped with the vegan marshmallows she'd made a few days early. Once he was settled next to her on the couch, she snuggled into his side and pulled the blanket around them both before pressing play on the remote. He glanced over at her with a soft smile, glad that he knew precisely what to do to make her feel better, and when Kurt let the landlord into the apartment two hours later to fix their heat, Rachel had fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder. He couldn't bring himself to move for fear of waking her from her peaceful slumber.


	5. Tethered Hearts

**A/N:** I wanted to branch out from the idea that Finn would propose to Rachel on the Bow Bridge or Central Park in general.

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><p>The guys at the precinct had been busting his chops for the past three weeks, ever since he brought the ring to hide in his locker because Rachel had been cleaning the loft religiously, and he suspected that she was searching their home in an effort to find the small box he'd tried hiding everywhere. He knew that he could probably just ask Rachel in passing if she would marry him and have that count as a proposal, but that wasn't really special or romantic; Rachel deserved something incredibly special and romantic, and he'd finally come up with the perfect plan. Of course, surprising Rachel was next to impossible, and part of the plan involved surprising her; too bad she'd seen his mom hand him a little black velvet box on her last visit and now it was like she anticipated it or something. At least his plan would surprise her because he knew that she was expecting some grand gesture involving Central Park and the Bow Bridge, but he wanted something a bit less extravagant and more personal.<p>

He'd spent weeks coming up with the perfect plan, and now it was a matter of waiting for the right time to implement it. Any time he tried, something always happened to interrupt or distract them. Sure there were several moments that were almost perfect, like after she got the call informing her that she had gotten the role of Maria in _The Sound of Music_; Rachel had practically tackled him the moment she hung up her phone, but they rapidly got distracted and wound up tangled together on the couch instead. Then there was after Kurt and Blaine announced that they were going to get married, but then Kurt swept Rachel off to start planning; that was two months ago, and he and Rachel were still not engaged. Between his shifts and her rehearsals, there simply wasn't an opportunity to attempt his plan again. But this time he was sure it was going to work, which was why he begged and pleaded with the captain to let him switch shifts with Bobby. Sure he was going to have night patrol for the next week, but it was so worth it if he could pull this off.

Rachel was exhausted, which was why she was sleeping late on a Sunday morning; her rehearsal schedule had been so hectic that she barely had time to breath, and she came home each night and practically collapsed in bed. She both loved and hated her career; at twenty-four, she was already cast in an Off-Broadway show that was predicted to find its way onto Broadway, but it was sometimes rather difficult to balance it all. She wanted to marry Finn, and she wanted a family, not just a career; deep down, she realized, she was still the girl who wanted everything too much. She was too tired to notice when Finn left the bed, and he couldn't help but smile when she simply let out a soft sigh and snuggled herself into his pillow; it was difficult to get out of bed when Rachel was there, all adorable and beautiful and warm, but while she was sleeping was the perfect time to prepare. So instead of crawling back into bed, Finn tugged on a pair of pajama pants and made his way to the kitchen.

He wasn't a great cook, even if Rachel had signed them up for those cooking classes and they went like every other week, and Rachel's vegan choices made it difficult at times; he was doing his best to keep quiet as he quickly toasted bread and cooked tofu bacon. Rummaging in the cabinet, he winced when he nearly dropped the canister containing the granola Rachel had made the week before, and he prayed that she wouldn't wake up before he was finished. Placing a tray on the counter, he quickly started carefully arranging things so that it would balance easily; soon enough he'd arranged a bowl of her favorite strawberry yogurt topped with the granola, two pieces of toast, the bacon, and a glass of juice on the tray, and he was carefully attempting to balance it as he crept into the bedroom where Rachel was still curled around his pillow, sleeping peacefully.

"Rach, baby, wake up," he whispered before placing a soft kiss on her temple, smiling when her eyes fluttered open. "I brought you breakfast."

"Sweetheart, you didn't have to do that." A sleepy smile played across her lips, and she leaned up to press a kiss to his lips.

"But I wanted to, Rach; you've been working so hard." He settled on the bed next to her and tucked a chunk of her hair behind her ear. "I wanted to do something nice since I got the weekend off, and you've been so tired."

"Thank you, Finny!" Granting him another kiss, she let the sheet drop so that it rested at her waist, revealing the oversized CUNY t-shirt she'd clearly taken from his dresser; the shirt practically swallowed her whole, and, while she told him that it was in no way attractive, Finn was pretty sure that Rachel Berry, soon to be Hudson if he was very very lucky, in his t-shirt and not much else was the sexiest thing on the planet.

He wanted it to be a complete surprise, which meant that she had to be distracted, and he knew of two ways to distract Rachel, who was like the master of multi-tasking; however, if he didn't want to wind up tangled in their sheets with food all over the bed, too distracted to think about proposing, and so he went with the only other surefire option, talking about the show. He smiled softly as Rachel chattered eagerly about rehearsals, secretly glad that she sort of hated the guy playing Captain Von Trapp; she frequently assured him that he would always be her hot male lead, no matter what show she was performing. He listened patiently as she described how no amount of talent made up for a poor attitude and complained about the fact that working with Matthew was like working with Jesse St. James all over again. He couldn't help but feel a small surge of glee at the fact that Rachel had despised working with her ex-boyfriend in the community theater production of _The Sound of Music_ the summer before their senior year of high school and now compared every terrible co-star to him.

When she wasn't really looking, Finn reached into the drawer in the bedside table and pulled out a length of red thread and the small velvet box he'd tucked away; carefully, he tied a loop into one end of the thread, but when she glanced in his direction, he slipped it under the covers so that she couldn't see it. She asked him about how he'd managed to get the weekend off, and he shared her disappointment in the fact that he'd have a week of night patrols. But it would all be worth it to see the look on her face when he finally asked her to marry him. The moment her attention was back on her breakfast, Finn went back to work tying a second loop at the other end of the thread and opened the small box, admiring the modest but beautiful ring inside. His mom has been absolutely thrilled when he asked her if she still had the engagement ring his dad had given her; it had taken a great deal of convincing to keep her from flying up the next day in hopes that he would propose to Rachel the moment the ring was in his hands. Sometimes he was convinced that his mom loved Rachel more than he did, if that was even possible.

Carefully, he slipped the ring onto the thread and slid his finger into one of the loops; when Rachel finished eating and set the tray aside, she snuggled close to him, her lips finding his in a quick kiss. With practiced skill, the moment her fingers laced with his he slipped the other loop over the ring finger of her left hand; he felt Rachel smile against his lips, and she suddenly shifted, settling partially in his lap. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of the thread as her fingers lifted to stroke through his hair, and he let out a soft groan as her tongue slid past his lips and into his mouth; he had to get a grip, or he was going to wind up way too distracted. Luckily, his groan caught her attention, and she pulled back, her eyes widening when she noticed the thread leading from her finger to his closed fist.

"Finn, what is this?" She held up her hand, and he grinned; so far so good.

"Rach, have you ever heard of the red string of fate?" He couldn't hold back a chuckle when she lifted an eyebrow.

"Don't laugh; I'm sure I know it, but I simply can't remember." The pout on her lips was enough to nearly melt his resolve, and he had to pause for a moment, squeezing the ring into his palm.

"Close your eyes." He waited until she complied. "There's this belief that two people who are destined to be together are tied to each other by an invisible red string, and no matter how stretched or tangled it gets it never breaks. It's a tether, something that ties them together. Until I met you I didn't believe in that sort of stuff, but then you came into my life and changed everything."

"Finn," her voice was a soft whisper, and he slowly opened his hand, allowing the ring to begin to slide down the thread.

"We're tethered, Rachel, and I think a part of me has always known that. You're my best friend, my partner, and my lover, and we've been through so much together; we've got our own string, babe, and it's a pretty damn strong one. I figure our string has been tangled up, twisted and tied in knots, and stretched to the breaking point over and over, and I'm sure that it will happen again. But I know it can't be broken." Leaning forward, he kissed her lips softly. "Open your eyes, Rach."

"Finn, I…" The words faded as she saw the ring, and she looked up at him with glistening eyes.

"Rachel Berry, I love you more than anything in the world, and I know that you and me, we're meant to be together. You're my other half, baby; you're my soul mate. Our lives are tied together, just like with this string; we've got our own red string of fate right here." He lifted his hand, and the ring brushed the tip of her finger. "Rachel, will you marry me?"

"Finn!" Her eyes sparkled, and she bit her lip softly. "This is so sweet and romantic and wonderful. I love you so much."

"So, is that a yes?" He chuckled as she threw her arms around him as best she could with the string still attached, her lips attacking his in a searing kiss.

"Yes! Of course that's a yes! Of course I'll marry you!" She smiled up at him, her eyes slightly wet with tears of happiness as he guided the ring the rest of the way onto her finger.

They'd been together eight years, and most people who met them assumed they were already married, with the exception of the little old couple living down the hall in 10B, who made it very that they did not approve of a young unwed couple living together and clearly having sex, especially after they caught Finn pressing Rachel against their apartment door. They had both been rather tipsy after their first Christmas Eve party with the cast of Rachel's first Off Broadway show. Now they were really going to be married, and Rachel felt as if all her dreams were coming true. New York and Broadway were had happened, but they had never really been enough, not without Finn; she loved him so much, and she could not imagine going through life without him. She would've been lying if she said that she hadn't imagined the various ways Finn might propose, and this was nothing like she thought it would be; it was so much better. She'd expected flowers and Central Park and perhaps the Bow Bridge, where Finn had once attempted to give her epic romance, but this was so much more intimate and romantic.

"It was my mom's ring, the one my dad gave her; she says Dad was her soul mate, and I wanted to give it to _my_ soul mate. If you'd rather have your own ring, something new, we can do that." But Rachel was shaking her head, cutting off his words with a fierce kiss that made his head spin.

"No, Finn, it's perfect; it's absolutely perfect." She murmured against his lips, her fingers lightly stroking his cheeks. "I love you."

She settled completely in his lap, and he let out a soft groan as her teeth caught his bottom lip, tugging gently; he let his fingers tangle in her hair, the red string still tying them together, and he could feel the warmth of her body pressing against him. Rachel's lips left his, brushing his jaw line and moving down his neck; as her hands slid down his chest, Finn felt a tug on his finger when the string pulled tight, and he reluctantly pulled away from her to remove it, whispering that their real string would always be there. His fingers gently stroked through her hair once more as he murmured that he loved her, his lips pressed to hers in a slow tender kiss. She seemed to melt into him, her hands slowly gliding down his neck and shoulders, and it was like a slow burn, spreading through his body; Rachel shifted in his lap, pressing closer, and the fire burned hotter.

"You are so beautiful." He murmured against her lips, his thumb stroking her cheek. "I love you so much, Rachel. I wanna show you, baby; let me show you."

She released a contented sigh, his name falling from her lips moments before he began kissing her again; each kiss was slow and passionate, and each one spread the familiar warmth through her body. Her eyes fell closed as his large hands stroked down her sides over the t-shirt she wore, and it struck her how easy it was for her to feel beautiful and sexy, even dressed in an old college t-shirt, when Finn looked at her or touched her. Over the years her confidence had grown and many of her insecurities had faded, but being a woman with an unconventional appearance in the show business of any kind made those insecurities return with a vengeance. But with Finn it didn't matter whether some director told her he didn't like her look or that she wasn't pretty enough for a part; with Finn she felt truly beautiful and truly loved. A soft moan left her when his hands slid under the t-shirt, stroking bare skin with barely there touches that raised goose bumps, and his tongue slipped passed her parted lips, tasting the slightest hint of her orange juice.

His hands moved up her sides, feeling her sharp intake of breath as they brushed the sides of her breasts ever so lightly; Puck often said that sleeping with just one woman for the rest of your life was stupid and boring, but Finn knew better. One of the many benefits to being with just one person was how well you knew the other person, like the way Finn knew that if he brushed the skin just below Rachel's breasts she would release a tremulous whimper for more; his thumbs did precisely that, her reactions precisely what he expected, and she arched her back slightly, trembling against him. The connection between them was intense and powerful, and he wouldn't trade it for the world. Her fingers laced through his hair, raking his scalp gently, and he released a low groan; her kisses became more insistent, and he reveled in the fact that he could make her feel this way. The mailman had long since become a thing of the past, but when her hips suddenly began to move against him he almost had to run him over with a Mac truck because he didn't bother to find a pair of boxers when he got out of bed and he could feel _everything _through the thin fabric of his pajama bottoms.

"Finn," his name fell from her lips like a plea, and he knew precisely what she was begging for now.

Rachel bit her lip, her eyes meeting his, and he slid his hands higher, lightly brushing the undersides of her breasts before cupping them completely; he loved that they fit in his hands, like they were made for him to hold, and he loved the fact that she was so sensitive to his touch. A soft moan left her lips when his thumbs slid over her nipples, and he pulled back with smile. She was torn between taking control of the situation, speeding up the process or letting him have his way with her, knowing that this morning he wanted to savor everything; relinquishing control and giving herself over to him was an amazing feeling, one that she couldn't put into words if she tried. She trusted him completely, and when she was in his arms she felt safe and loved. Suddenly his fingers plucked lightly at her nipples, causing an immediate surge of heat to rush through her body; any ideas of moving faster were chased from her mind by the flood of pleasure she was feeling. His touch was firm and insistent and growing more so by the moment, but never rough or painful, and she shivered agreeably with each one.

She whimpered softly when his fingers left her breasts, but her arms lifted willingly as he hooked the hem of her—his t-shirt and tugged upward; Finn let his eyes linger on each inch of newly exposed skin, drinking in the image of his fiancé, and a lopsided grin flickered across his lips at the sight of the small music notes on her hip. He'd never forget the weekend he came home from the Academy, eager to spend some quality time with Rachel, and discovered that a night out with Santana and Brittany had ended with Rachel getting a tattoo; he'd left a pretty substantial hickey over the ink in his excitement, and thinking about it now made him want to repeat the incident. The shirt slid over her head, and he tossed it aside, leaving her in nothing but a pair of tiny bright blue boy short panties; he loved how for some reason Rachel insisted on always wearing cute underwear and the fact that he was the only person who got to see that cute underwear. He knew she still had a thing about changing in front of people and always insisted on a screen if she had to share a dressing room; he was the only exception to that insistence.

His lips traveled the familiar path down her neck, seeking out the sensitive locations only he knew about, and he felt her pull in a shaky breath as he reached her collarbone; shifting his weight, he lifted her in his arms and gently settled her on the bed beneath him so that she was reclined against the pillows. The soft barely there kisses resumed, but by the time he reached the tops of her breasts they switched to hotter open mouthed kisses, making her shiver and murmur his name; her fingers gripped the sheets beneath her, her back arching toward him as the heat of his mouth enveloped her nipple and his tongue teased the sensitive bud until she practically mewled in pleasure. The whimper she let out as he moved to the other nipple, giving it equal attention, sent a jolt straight through him, and it took him a moment to remember that he was taking his time for a reason.

"You're so beautiful, Rachel, so damned beautiful." He murmured against her skin, his hand sliding down the smooth line of her abdomen, brushing the edge of her panties and slipping lower to cup her.

"Finn!" She let out a shaky gasp, and her hips lifted to press against his hand.

His touch seared through her, and she moaned out as he stroked her through the damp fabric with slowly increasing pressure; as always it was like everything that wasn't her or Finn was erased from her mind. Her heart pounded in her chest, and everything seemed to blur into heat and skin and moans and Finn, Finn, Finn. Suddenly his fingers slipped passed her panties, brushing heated skin, and she released a whimper, gripping the pillows as his lips began traveling down her body; her breath hitched as his fingers dipped into her, and her hips lifted from the bed. Finn's lips moved lower, finding the tiny music notes and closing over them; Rachel couldn't hold back the keening moan that left her lips when she felt the steady suction, and she nearly lost control as her hips lifted again, moving against his fingers as they slowly thrust into her. She was practically writhing on the bed beneath when he lifted his lips again, leaving a small deep pink mark over the ink and tracing it with his tongue. Slowly he peeled her panties off her hips, on hand pressing her to the bed so that she couldn't lift them again; once they were removed, he tossed them aside, pausing for a moment to meet her gaze. There was something undeniably sexy about the way her lips were swollen and her eyes were wide and dark; her chest rose and fell with each heavy breath, and holy hell the sounds she made were like music. Dipping between her thighs, he ran his tongue over her heated core, savoring the taste of her.

"Baby, you taste so fucking awesome." He groaned, his lips brushing her clit briefly.

When her hips jerked slightly he gently pressed her back down against the bed, knowing how much it aroused her. Her fingers gripped the pillows, her eyes following his movements, and he licked her again, causing her to let out a shuddering moan. His hands slid beneath her, cupping her firm ass in both hands and pulling her to him, and he tried his best to hold her securely as she moved against his mouth; he wanted to take his time, to bring her slowly to the edge and hold her there while he savored the taste of her and the way she reacted to each touch, but his resolve was fading with each passing moment. Suddenly he felt her slender fingers tangling in his hair, tugging gently, and he continued his oral assault on her trembling body as she tensed. He captured her tender nub with his lips, sucking gently at first before letting his tongue press against it, reveling in the soft mewling whimpers that eventually because full blown moans. She tugged harder on his hair, and his tongue dipped into her, lapping at her heated flesh; a low moan vibrated from his lips at the taste of her, and he thrust his tongue deeper, curling it slightly. Rachel rewarded him with a strangled moan of his name, her body trembling on the brink of her orgasm; her fingers left his hair, gripping the pillows behind her when her back arched upward from the bed.

"Finn! Oh my—so good." Her body tensed, and she wailed out his name.

He soon lost his grip on her hips, and he moaned against her as he licked and nibbled; she shuddered beneath him, her heart pounding in her chest, and the only sounds she could manage were soft murmurs and breathy whispers. Her eyes fell closed for a moment as she tried to regain her composure, but Finn was already moving back up her body, leaving a trail of fire in the wake of his kisses. He had no intention of letting her come down from her post-orgasmic high, and he quickly captured a nipple, working the tender bud with his teeth and tongue until she reached for him, pulling him into a fiery kiss; her tongue parted his lips, stroking over his tongue and tasting herself in the warmth of his mouth. Her fingers stroked through his hair again, raking his scalp, and he couldn't hold back a groan; when he pulled back his eyes met hers, wide and dark, and he settled between her parted thighs, feeling the heat and dampness through the thin fabric of his pajama pants. He rolled his hips into hers, and they both moaned at the sensation; his eyes widened when he felt her slender fingers sliding down his chest to his waist, dipping passed the waistband and finding his length, and he released a less than manly whimper as her small hand surrounded him.

"Rach, babe, you can't—" His words were cut off by a low moan, and he thrust his hips forward into her hand as she started to stroke him. "If you keep that up I'm not gonna last."

She flashed him a coy smile, her hand moving slowly and deliberately until he had to grab her wrist to stop her; pressing a kiss to his lips, she released him and moved to push his pajama pants off his hips as far as she could before he lifted his body from hers just long enough to finish removing them. He settled back into position, his hips pressed against hers, and she rocked up against him, causing them both to moan at the skin to skin contact they both so desperately craved. She repeated the action, rolling her hips slowly, and he felt himself brush against her folds; the desperate need to bury himself in her heat and feel completely and utterly one with her was overwhelming, and it took all of his willpower not to move immediately. Rachel almost whined at his hesitation, her eyes locking with his, and she rolled her hips into his once more, causing him to slip within her for a brief moment. He lowered himself over her, his lips finding hers in a slow, tender kiss, and rolled his hips forward, moaning as she enveloped him completely and reveling in the fact that there were no barriers between them; there was nothing like the feel of her walls surrounding him, clenching gently as he moved above her. His lips traveled down the line of her neck, nipping and sucking at the sensitive skin, as he thrust slowly and firmly, and she let her eyes fall closed, her fingers gliding over his shoulders and small moans falling from her lips.

"_Finn—yes, _right there, baby." Her nails grazed his back lightly, her hands gliding over heated skin as she seemed to be attempting to touch him everywhere she could reach. "So good, Finn, so good."

His lips buried into the warm skin at the juncture of her neck and shoulder, and she whimpered beneath him; his hands slid along her body, touching her wherever he could reach as if he simply couldn't get enough, and each thrust was smooth and strong, filling her completely. Rachel slid one leg up, bending at the knee and granting him more access, and he lifted his lips from her neck, his tongue tracing the small mark he'd left there before moving up to kiss her lips; his hand slid slower, reaching her hip, and he pulled her flush against his body causing her to release a keening moan. He pulled his hips back slowly, pulling out as far as he could before surging forward again, and Rachel gasped out, bowing off the bed and pressing her body against his. He knew neither of them was going to last much longer, and he let his hand slip between them. His fingers worked her clit firmly as he repeated the action over again until she was moaning out his name and clinging to him, every part her small warm naked body pressing to him.

"Rachel, baby I can't—not much longer; oh god baby you feel so _good_." He murmured against her lips, feeling her begin to shudder beneath him.

Suddenly he felt her tense around him, her walls tightening and her body trembling as she clung to him; Rachel cried out his name, the familiar heat and tension spiraling lower until everything blurred into Finn's name falling from her lips and the feel of her orgasm sweeping through her and leaving her body quivering beneath his. Her climax triggered his, and he found his body quaking, his hips jerking as he pressed himself deep within her; he shuddered with his release, and he found that he could not hold himself above her. Instinctively he rolled to his side, intent on not crushing the beautiful woman beneath him, and she whimpered at the loss of contact; breathing heavily, he let his gaze fall on her as she lay among the pillows, her chest rising and falling with each breath. She almost glowed, and the smile that spread across her features made him feel like a hero; Rachel had this way of looking at him as if he hung the moon and stars and lit the lights of Broadway, and it was both scary and amazing to know that someone loved him that much. Rolling onto his side so that he was facing her, he ran a gentle hand down her side, only to have her quickly capture it as it brushed her hip; with a small smile she pressed her lips to his knuckles, and he could see the glint of the small diamonds on her finger.

"Finn, I—" Words failed her, and she simply smiled; she wanted to tell him how incredible she felt, how much she loved him and wanted to be his forever, but instead she moved closer to him, her body barely brushing his.

In the silence that fell over them, Rachel released a contented sigh, her eyes taking in the sight of him as he lay beside her, still breathing heavily from their activities, and a warm smile played across her lips. Her hand still held his, squeezing it gently, and she met his gaze. His eyes were full of love and happiness and a kind of absolute bliss that she had come to hope would always be there; he murmured I love you, three words she would never tire of hearing, and she whispered them back. Everything seemed right and perfect in the world, even if it didn't last forever, and the words of his proposal filtered back into her mind. _I figure our string has been tangled up, twisted and tied in knots, and stretched to the breaking point over and over, and I'm sure that it will happen again. But I know it can't be broken. _They were tethered together, and that was how it was meant to be.


	6. Life, Or Something Like it

**A/N**: I should begin by apologizing, quite a lot. It's been nearly six months since I've given you a proper update, and not only that I went and changed the name of the fic. I felt that "After All These Years" was a much better song for our dear Finchel, and this line is perfect.

* * *

><p>"Explain to me why you can't just wait for that giant you married to bring you marshmallows. It's really fucking cold. And while you're at it, explain the reasoning behind <em>vegan<em> marshmallows instead of the good kind. Berry, you are still fucking crazy."

"No swearing around the unborn, Santana, and I haven't been Berry in a year and a half." Rachel placed a hand softly on her slightly distended abdomen, rubbing gently. "Finn is on duty, and he'll probably be home late. I'm perfectly capable of going to the Whole Foods Market to get groceries. The exercise is good for me and the baby."

"Still bat shit crazy, Rach; some things never change." Santana narrowly avoided Rachel's hand sweeping out to swat at her shoulder. "Come on, Crazy Pants, let's get inside before you freeze to death, and your husband arrests my ass."

With a small laugh, Rachel followed Santana into the store, ignoring her friend's mutterings about how she already waddled and she wasn't even that pregnant. As punishment, she made Santana carry both baskets, which she proceeded to load with what her best friend called weird ass vegan shit, like rice flour, steel cut oats, vegan peanut butter, and tofu. Santana shifted the baskets in her arms, glaring at a couple of ridiculous teenagers giggling at them; the two girls hurried away, and they continued their shopping. One basket was devoted to six bags of vegan marshmallows, four bars of organic chocolate, and three pounds of apples. Rachel lamented that she felt like she was already eating three times as much as her husband and she was only eight weeks pregnant.

"I'm starving, again." She whined, reaching into the basket with the marshmallows.

"Come on, Gigantor isn't here; you can admit you want a burger, and I'll buy it. If only because it's hilarious as hell to watch you eat meat and whine that it's all his fault because his spawn is a carnivore."

"Shut up, Santana. It's embarrassing." Rachel gave her friend a small bump with her hip. "I'm trying to remain vegan, or at least vegetarian—"

"But you want a big juicy cheeseburger with extra pickles, and you don't want anyone else to know about it." Santana dropped the baskets on the checkout counter with a dark chuckle. "Who knew the perfect blackmail material would be a picture of you stuffing a Whopper in your face!"

"Santana Lopez, if you tell anyone about my Burger King habit, I will tell everyone that I've caught you watching Dora the Explorer and arguing with her in Spanish four days in a row." Rachel pointed a carrot from her basket at her friend.

"Ok, Ok, I surrender!" Santana raised her hands above her head as Rachel paid for their shopping. "Your dirty burger secret is safe with me."

They were getting out a cab outside the loft an hour later, laughing about the fact that Rachel had eaten two orders of fries and a slice of Hershey Pie in addition to her cheeseburger, when it happened. Rachel slid out of the cab first, scooping up two of the bags and her purse, and Santana attempted to follow her out, holding the other bags. But Rachel was stumbling backwards, nearly knocking her over into the cab again. She was about to snap at her tiny, but pregnant, friend about being clumsy when she spotted the man with the knife approaching them.

"Just hand over your purses and jewelry, and nobody gets hurt." Finn always told her, if she were faced with a mugger, to just give him what he wanted because no amount of money was worth her life. "Hand it over, lady."

"P-please just leave us alone." Her voice shook, laced with fear, and when she moved to avoid him, the man shoved her hard; the last thing she remembered before things went dark was Santana screaming something in Spanish and aiming her can of pepper spray.

He had stopped for coffee with Charlie when he heard it over the radio; his phone rang moments later, and Santana's voice was on the other end, talking way faster than he could understand and speaking Spanish half the time. By the time he finally figured out that they'd been victims of an attempted mugging and that Rachel had been shoved to the ground, he was already starting to panic. His shift wasn't supposed to be over for another two and a half hours, and his pregnant wife was in the hospital, suffering from injuries unknown. What kind of dumbass mugs a cop's wife? He was definitely buying Rachel a shirt that said "my husband's a cop and he will shoot your ass" and forcing her to wear it when she went out from now on, but first he had to get to the hospital. He was too busy swearing under his breath and attempting to call his wife to manage a coherent contact with dispatch to find someone to finish their patrol; so the task fell to Charlie, who was more than willing to handle it if it meant getting his partner to the hospital before he exploded.

By the time he reached the hospital, his heart was pounding, and his hands were shaking. People were staring at the six foot tall cop in full uniform as he ran clumsily down the halls; the nurse at the reception desk pointed him in the direction of room 169 where his wife was waiting for him. According to Santana she'd been knocked unconscious when she hit the ground, and Finn hoped that she was already awake. They'd arrested the mugger, thanks to Santana's wicked aim with the pepper spray, and so all he had to worry about was Rachel and the baby and whether or not they were alright.

"Hey, just the giant we were waiting for," Santana looked up as he slid into the room, nearly slamming into the bedside table. "This crazy has been asking for you for the past hour, and she won't shut up."

"Santana Lopez, I will get out of this bed slap you as soon as my head stops feeling like it might explode at any moment." Finn saw Rachel's hand dart out from the bed, and Santana dodge it. "But first, I'd like to see my husband if you don't mind."

"Hey baby girl, that's quite bruise you've got there." His voice was a soft murmur, and he reached out to gently brush her bangs from her forehead. "Didn't I tell you that I wanted you to be more careful? Didn't I tell you to just give the S.O.B. whatever he wanted rather than get hurt?"

"I didn't have a chance to do much of anything, Finn, and I certainly wasn't going to let someone take my engagement ring. It means too much to me."

"Rachel Barbra Hudson, you mean too much to me to be lost over a little piece of jewelry." He pressed a finger to her lips when she attempted to protest. "You are the most precious thing in the world to me, you and our baby. It would kill me if anything ever happened to you. You are more important than that ring, do you understand? You are the most important person in the world to me."

He softly kissed her forehead, his fingers tenderly running over her bruised cheek; his eyes were soft, full of unshed tears of relief. They murmured the words I love you over and over until Santana made ridiculous gagging noises as she made her way out of the room, muttering under her breath about how some things never change.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hudson, I'm Dr. Klasky." Finn looked up to see a middle aged man holding a clipboard. "I'm glad to see that you're awake. You had quite a nasty bump and fall. But aside from some bruises and scrapes, and a sprained ankle, you are just fine."

"Thank you, Doctor—"

"What about the baby?" Finn knew that it wasn't exactly polite to jump on the poor man, especially after he had taken such good care of his wife, but manners weren't high on his priority list at the moment. "Is the baby alright?"

"Yes, Mr. Hudson, your babies are just fine. You've got two very healthy little ones coming along very well." Rachel's jaw dropped, one hand dropping to her abdomen.

"Wait, two—but we saw the ultrasound. It can't be twins." Rachel was speechless, and Finn couldn't stop rambling. "No one in my family has twins, and Rachel's family is not—not that we know of anyway. It can't be twins; we saw one baby on the ultrasound last time. How can there be two now?"

"Mr. Hudson, while multiples are rare, they aren't impossible, and it is possible that one of your babies was hiding behind the other on your last ultrasound." Rachel opened her mouth to speak, but there were no words. "Congratulations, you two are having twins!"

"Twins," Finn breathed the word.

"Now, if you'll give us a few minutes to gather the paperwork, we'll let you get home and get some rest." Dr. Klasky smiled and hurried out of the room, leaving the awe struck Hudsons to stare at each other.

"Finn, we're having twins. We're having two babies. I'm carrying two babies." Rachel kept repeating the words as if saying them would make them more understandable. "We're having two children at once, Finn."

"Yes, babe, I know what twins mean." She squeezed his hand, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"Can we do this? I mean, I know we don't really have a lot of choice in the matter, but do you think we can handle this? Two babies will be—"

"I believe the word you are looking for is incredible." He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "Two little people, Rach, two little pieces of us in this world when we were only expecting one; I'd call that a miracle."

"I love you. You are going to be an amazing father, Finn Hudson."

"I love you too." He pressed another kiss to her lips before bending to speak to her abdomen. "Hi babies! I'm your daddy, and you've given us a big shock. It wasn't very nice of you to hide from Mommy and Daddy, but we're so happy! We love you."


End file.
